How Many Things Do You Work On At Once?

LeviTheOutlaw

LeviTheOutlaw

Well-Known Member
Hey everyone,
I was just wondering... it seems we never stop "training" our dogs. There's always a new trick or skill we want them to learn. Or at least thats how it is with me. Once Levi learns something, I've already found 10 more things I want to teach him. So my question is, how many different things do you work on at the same time? Or do you just teach one thing until he gets it and then move on to the next thing.
 
fickla

fickla

Experienced Member
Just have fun :) I usually have at least 3 tricks I'm working on at a time, plus several other tricks that are all in various stages of training that I practice as I remember and then forget again. The dogs don't have any problem remembering something you've worked on ages ago, and no problem transferring from one thing to another. I used to just advise that you don't practice tricks that look alike until one is mastered (such as back feet on something, versus front feet, versus only 1 back leg... or rollover vs bang...) but I have found that it doesn't really matter. You have some initial confusion but the dogs still get it :)
 
Dogster

Dogster

Honored Member
We were "talking" about this somewhere, on another thread.... I can't find it though..
But yeah, I agree with fickla, as long as the tricks aren't similar, you're good to go.(y) For example, I've been teaching Shivon back up, crawl, and ashamed for a week, and she's on different levels for all the tricks. I also abandon tricks and return to them later on.:)
 
LeviTheOutlaw

LeviTheOutlaw

Well-Known Member
Thanks, I was thinking that was the way to do it. I figured it was a way to train for a longer period of time with out the doggy getting bored, by switching to different things. After about 5 minutes of doing one thing, Levi gets bored and wants to do something else.

Ok, so here's my other situation. I want to be able to train both my dogs, but when I try to train Xena (my boston terrier) Levi constantly gets in the way. He won't just sit there and watch (of coarse). I tried putting him in his crate while I work with her but then he howls and whines the whole time. He never wants to miss out on an opportunity to get a treat. It was actually pretty funny yesterday, cuz I worked with him some and then I was trying to get him to lay down while I worked with her and he kept running over and doing "spin" without me even asking for it thinking he would get a treat. I had to laugh but it does get in the way when I am trying to get Xena interested in learning tricks. I know there is a way to be teaching him to sit on the side line so to speak while she is getting the attention, I'm just not sure how to go about it.
 
Dogster

Dogster

Honored Member
If Levi gets bored after 5 minutes, then keep the sessions 5 minutes long. Just spread them out over the course of the day. Once he can tolerate more time, increase the sessions to 10, then 15, then 20, and so on.(y)
It is harder to do a trick session with more than 1 dog in the house. Maybe there is a way to tire Levi out so that he sleeps through Xena's trick session???? It's probably hard.:cautious: Hmmmm.... Or... if he naps during the day (????) You can do Xena's trick session then. So, Xena doesn't care when you're doing a trick session with Levi??? (I'm guessing)
 
LeviTheOutlaw

LeviTheOutlaw

Well-Known Member
OK... the first thing you have to understand is Levi NEVER tires out. lol Even if I ran him for 20 miles down the road and he passed out sleeping as soon as we got home... If I just called Xena's name for any reason, he is awake and up to see what we are up to. Oh did I mention he is a velcro dog. He is never never more then a few paces away from me.
Xena really couldn't careless if I teach her tricks or not. She is perfectly happy sitting on the couch watching me teach Levi do tricks. I guess I should take a hint from that and just let her alone and do her own thing, but it would be so cute if she learned a few tricks cuz shes such a cutie pie.
Levi will train for longer then 5 minutes. but if I keep having him do the same thing over and over he will get tired of it.... or maybe its frustration...idk. But if I switch things around and do different things... it keeps him engaged.
 
LeviTheOutlaw

LeviTheOutlaw

Well-Known Member
Cool, I will check out the video when I get home tonight.

Dogster: How did you get the pics of Shivon under your signature? I haven't been able to figure out how to do that one yet.
 
Dogster

Dogster

Honored Member
Do you have a photobucket account??? Or a blog with Levi's pics???? When you go to "edit signature" you put pics in using the URL (by clicking the button with the tree above(y)) On the site (photobucket) right-click the image, then click "properties" and copy the URL where it says insert media (once you click on the button with the tree). I was complicated for me too (I suck with technology:)) But you need a photobucket account or a blog for it.
 
Amateur

Amateur

Experienced Member
I have the same problem with training my two dogs. There is a thread in here somewhere very similar to this. Pick the laziest dog ( in my case Hank) and have him "stay " on the couch while you try to train the other. Then every so often during training, throw your Hank dog a treat for a good stay. Once Hank caught on he got fed for doing absolutely nothing he was totally on board. Not sure how I am going to manage the reverse but we will handle that later.
 
LeviTheOutlaw

LeviTheOutlaw

Well-Known Member
That is a great idea, except I have no problem gettin my "lazy" dog (Xena) to just lay there and watch. It's like my 2 dogs have the opposite problem. Xena acts like she doesn't want to learn tricks and Levi doesn't want to stop.
For instance, today I started teaching them to go thru my legs. Levi was picking it up like a champ. As long as I have treats he is ready to do stuff for them. Xena on the other hand, tried it twice and then the third time I threw the treat thru my legs she sat down and wouldn't move. I really want to teach Xena some tricks but she just acts like she doesn't want to... Should I just leave her alone and quit trying?

My problem with Levi is that he gets tired of doing the same thing over and over. Like today I introduced going thru my legs. He practiced it for about 10 minutes then instead of going thru my legs he started spinning (which is something he knows well now) So for him. when he starts spinning with out being asked and in the middle of me teaching him "thru" then I switch to something else (but not spinning) like then we changed and I took him outside and we practiced walking next to me.

It just seems like for him, he will train for a long time as long as I don't do the same thing for more then about 10 minutes.
 
Dogster

Dogster

Honored Member
Definately don't quit with Xena. I'm thinking on how you can make trick sessions more interesting for her....:)
I wonder why Levi starts spinning when he gets bored... maybe he'll get used to the lenght eventually.... :unsure:
 
LeviTheOutlaw

LeviTheOutlaw

Well-Known Member
It's really funny... spinning is his go to trick... he does it with out command when ever he wants something or gets bored. It cracks me up when he just walks up to me and starts spinning lol
 
LeviTheOutlaw

LeviTheOutlaw

Well-Known Member
You know what? I just went to search for something good for Xena to eat and I got out some of the shredded pork shoulder we had left over from easter dinner yesterday. She was way into that. She was waggin that crooked little tail of hers and I got her started lifting her front paws up while sitting down. I think she just needed tastier treats to get her motivated.

levi will work for anything thats edible. As long as it's food he is good to go.
 
jodetoad

jodetoad

Active Member
Not sure what the dog's limits are, my limit is about 3 new tricks, more than that I start losing track of where I am. Course I'm getting old ;-). We keep a list of her stuff to go over every so often to refresh it.
 
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